Wine-Loving Billionaire Picks Up Sonoma Hotel

Billionaire WIlliam P Foley II has been on a worldwide buying spree lately. Just last month we mentioned that he had picked up a luxury New Zealand resort. This month he's back in the U.S. adding Sonoma's Les Mars hotel to his growing portfolio. This is far from his first purchase in the area, he bought the Chalk Hill Winery in August and purchased Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery in 2008. The purchase price for Les Mars was not disclosed but the deal should be finished next month.

The Les Mars is a well-regarded 16-room boutique hotel which is a secluded hideaway for the rich and famous. Rooms cost $575 to $725 a night. The Santa-Rosa Press Democrat reports that Les Mars also is home to the Cyrus Restaurant, one of the top restaurants in the foodie paradise of Healdsburg and holder of two Michelin stars. The Press-Democrat says that Foley is still looking at Sonoma County properties and wants to buy a flagship winery along Highway 29 in Napa County.